Prologue 1 – Late Checkout
In a certain village, a youth awakened from a nightmare. He was a young mercenary named Yuuto, who after leaving his master’s side came to Sacks Village and accepted his first commission. Will the youth be able to successfully finish it?
His legs hurt, he had trouble breathing. Just how long had pa.s.sed since he entered the blazing forest? Nevertheless, he had no choice but to stand up and run. If not, he would be caught and killed.
Even when he tripped on a stone he got up and ran. Even when he crashed into trees he stood up and ran. Even when he tripped on a corpse, he got up and ran. Impatience, fear, despair, everything that he felt turned into tears and sobbing as it left his body.
Before long the blazing red scenery left his sight, as he collapsed with a sense of relief. His pain disappeared, and he tried to put his breath in order. Without knowing how a dark veil covered his eyes as he was wrapped in tranquility.
The youth suddenly opened his eyes. The refreshing sunlight coming from the ever so shining sun pa.s.sed through the window, as if it wanted to erase the nightmare he was having. But the youth thought it was unnecessary as he got up from the bed and started to stretch his muscles.
And then, he let out a sigh. Again, that dream. The youth had been seeing the same dream ever since that day. Honestly, he felt it was a bother as he was becoming visibly depressed.
“Even though it’s been 10 years since then…. Can’t something be done about this, honestly…”
Looking downcast, the youth mumbled. After a while, the door to the room opened with a creaking sound as an old man entered.
This made the youth remember,
That’s right, yesterday I didn’t camp outside but lodged in an inn.
The old man looked around the room, and said with a sigh,
“This is troubling, mister traveler. You’ve stayed well past the time for your checkout you know?”
“Eh? Wait… What’s the time now?”
“It’s past midday. The church rang the first bell a moment ago. Now then, I need to clean this place up so please do hurry up with your packing.”
Saying that the old man took a mop with a no use arguing att.i.tude with the youth was not able to stop.
The youth got up, and hurriedly started to put his things in order. He wore a flexible black leather trouser which put priority on mobility. The trousers had metal plates attached to the shin portion. As he was hurrying he accidentally bashed his feet into it.
While his legs were hurting he put on a black leather jacket. The jacket had 2 side and 2 chest pockets…or it was supposed to have them, but they were nowhere to be seen. The youth had worn it inside out. He took off the jacket and put it on properly.
Why the h.e.l.l are you so slow?
The old man thought. The youth put his belt on and then attached the item bag to the belt. As he did that, he noticed something.
[It] wasn’t there.
The youth’s face paled as he quickly looked around the room. It wasn’t on the table, nor was it on the bed. He searched under the pillow but it wasn’t there either. No matter where he looked he couldn’t find [It]. He became covered with cold sweat as he was prepared for the worst case scenario.
“Was it, stolen?”
“Customer, it’s outside the room.”
“What?”
Just as the old man said, it was beside the door outside the room. It was leaning on the wall. An old reddish brown scabbard, the handle was worn out, and there were marks off it being mended with his own clothes.
The youth picked up the scabbard with his right hand, and grabbed the handle with his left hand. He then gently pulled out a while blade, which was reflecting his face. As he moved it a bit, what reflected there was the sunlight coming in from the windows as it dyed his whole figure like a white obi.
It was proof of him carefully and gently taking care of the blade. As he was carefully sheathed it, he fastened it on his back. [It] referred to this Katana.
He went down the stair and neared the s.h.a.ggy old countered, where there was a man resting his chin on his hand. The man took out the inn register and…… didn’t say anything. In other words, hurry up and pay the bill, then get lost.
The youth signed his name with the quill pen and put the lodging of 10 copper coins on top of it. He looked inside his item pouch, and there was only 15 copper coins remaining. This much was enough to have a decent meal at the town shops. He thought that, while pondering what to have his breakfast with.
“Wait a second, kid.”
“What is it?”
“Late Checkout, you’re 10 copper coins short kid.”
Late Checkout. Because they needed to clean the inn, it was imperative that the lodgers left early. But if one spent a few more coppers he was allowed to stay longer.
In this case, as the youth overslept he had no choice but to pay extra. Looks like he had to give up on breakfast.
The youth clicked his tongue as he tossed 10 more copper coins onto the counter. A copper coin rolled down the counter and fell on the ground with a clank.
The man picked up the coin, as he looked at the register where the name [Yuuto] was written in a crude manner.